Instrument for measuring and determining the axes of lenses.



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INSTRUMENT FOR MEASURING AND DETERMINING THE AXES 0F LENSES. APPLIGATIONIILED AUG. 28, 1908.

965,21 1. N Patented July 26, 1910.

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0. MOE. INSTRUMENT FOR MEASURING AND DETERMINING THE AXES 0F LENSES.

7 APPLICATION I'ILED AUG. 28, 1908.

965,21 1 Patented July 26, 1910.

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OLAV MOE, 0F SIOUX CITY, IOWA, ASSIGNOR T0 KENNEDY OPTICAL COMPANY, OFDETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

INSTRUMENT FOR MEASURING AND DETERM INING THE AXES OF LENSES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 26, 1910.

Application filed August 28, 1908. Serial No. 450,772.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, OLAV MOE, citizen of the United States, residing atSioux City, county of Woodbury, State of Iowa, have invented a certainnew and useful Improvement in Instruments for Measuring and Determiningthe Axes of Lenses, and declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the same, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in instruments for measuringlenses to determine certain facts relative to their size, constructionand character, as shown in the accompanying drawings and moreparticularly pointed out in the following specification and claimsInstruments have been devised to indicate the refraction of lenses indioptrics,.the usual form consistingof' a dial from the frame of whichproject two fixed pins the points lying in the same plane. Locatedbetween these fixed pins is a movable pin forced to the limit of itsmovement by a spring housed within the dial case. The movable pin isfree to travel in or out within certain limits, the construction beingsuch that its movement serves to actuate a revolving pointer designed totraverse the several graduations indicated upon the dial. Upon pressingthe face of a lens against the points of the fixed pins, the movable pinis either forced back or is permitted to project beyond the plane of theadjacent pins ;the position of the movable pin being dependent upon theconstruction of the lens tested. The construction of the parts are suchthat the movement of the pin serves to actuate the dial pointer therebyindicating the re fraction in dioptrics of that side of the lens andwhether plus or minus. If the lens is of spherical form, upon rotatingit in contact with the pins, the pointer will remain at the graduationoriginally indicating its curvature, thus denoting a spherical form oflens. If on the contrary the lens tested is a cylinder, upon rotating itin contact with the pins, the dial pointer will turn to (0) zero whenthe movable pin point is on the same plane with the points of the fixedpins, occurring only when all three are in line with the axis of thecylinder.

It is proposed to use the present invention in conjunction with thedevice just described and one of its objects is to provide means forreadily indicating in degrees the angle of the axis of a cylinder lenswith reference to an imaginary line drawn through the long diameter ofthe usual elliptical form given to the lens.

A further object is to indicate the size or the arbitrary numberemployed by the trade to designate the particular lens under examinationand a still further object is to provide means for mechanically rotatingthe lens in contact with the fixed and movable pins of the instrumentpreviously referred to.

Other features of the invent-ion will be hereafter described.

In the drawings:-Figure l is a plan view of the instrument. Fig. 2 is aside elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view through theframe looking toward the lens and showing it supported by the projectingarms of the graduated drum. Fig. 4 is an enlarged end elevation of thegraduated drum, with parts in section, showing details of the mechanismfor supporting the lens and for controlling the index fingers orpointers. Fig. 5 is a crosssectional view through the same on line ww ofFig. 4. Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view through the drum on line :e 3of Fig. l, showing in dotted lines a lens held by the projecting arms ofthe graduated drum. Figs. 7 and 8 are diagrammatic views inclicating theposition of the revolving pointer with reference to that of thegraduated r tating drum and its fixed pointer when determinating theangle of the axis of a cylinder lens.

Referring now to the letters of reference placed upon the drawings: A isa suitable base from one end of which rises a pedestal A on top of whichis mounted a tray A pivoted at a to the pedestal in order to pro videfor a slight swinging movement, the

object of which will be hereafter explained.

B is a phacometer mounted upon the tray A in which B is a graduated dialand B i as they form no part of this invention, it

will be unnecessary to enter into further detailed description in orderto explain the operation and purpose of the present invention.

E is a standard or post in line with the pedestal A at the opposite endof the base A. Supported by the standard E and free to turn therein isashaft F in line with the movable pin C. At one end of the shaft F ismounted a cylinder or drum G while the other end is provided with anoperating handle or knob F.

H denotes four jaws pivoted to the rods h supported within and by thewall of the drum. The jaws H project through slots provided in the endwall of the drum and are notched at H to provide for gripping the lensI.

J are cross links connecting the jaws H together within the drum toprovide for a like movement of each of them, thus insuring the propercentering of the lens when forced between the jaws.

K is a spring coiled around the rods h, its projecting ends bearing uponthe cross bars H of the jaws H to cause the latter to automatically gripthe lens when forced between them.

L is a pointer pivoted at L to the end wall of the drum, its free endprojecting through a slot L in the drums circular wall. Projecting fromthe pivoted end of the pointer L is a lug L designed to encounter an armL, secured to one of the links J which connect the lens gripping jaws H.

Z is a spring secured at one end to the pointer L, its free end bearingagainst the shaft F to force the pointer to its initial position, or thelimit of its movement in one direction.

A graduated scale is located adjacent to the slotted opening in thecircular wall of the drum denoting the size or arbitrary numbers bywhich the several sizes of stock lenses are known. Upon inserting a lensbe tween the jaws H the swinging pointer L'is operated by the action ofthe arm L contacting with the lug L of the pointer :-the

pointer swinging to the graduation denoting the size or number of thelens tested.

M is a vertical pointer sleeved at M upon the shaft F, its lower endbeing slotted at m to straddle a pin 6 designed to hold the pointeragainst movement. The pointer M being sleeved upon the shaft F, as juststated, will not move on the shaft F when the drum G is rotated, and asthe pointer M remains immovable, it acts in conjunction with theprotractor or scale on the drum adj acent to the upper end of thepointer, to indicate the angle of the axis of the lens.

N is a spring coiled around the shaft F and the sleeve of the pointer M,the ends of the spring bearing against the pointer M and the post E. Asthe pointer M bearsagainst the edge of the drum G and is free to slidealong the shaft F, the action of the spring serves to force the drum andshaft in the direction of the phacometer B,the knob or handle F securedto the shaft serving to limit its movement in that direction. Adj acentto theedge of the circular wall of the drum G and in reading relation tothe pointer M is a protractor, or scale graduated to degrees. 7

P denotes inwardly projecting pins in the circular wall of the drumwhich serve upon contacting with the-pin P. set in .the lower end of thepointer M, to limitthe rotation of the drum in either direction.

' Having indicated the several parts by reference letters the operationof the device will be readily understood.

The lens to be tested is thrust between the jaws H supported in the drumG, the action of. the spring N forcing the lens in contact with the pinsB and O,'of the phacometer B ;-while the latter being mounted upon aswinging tray A readily alines itself so that the fixed pins properlycontact with the face of the lens. The point of the movable pin beingcontinually in contact with the lens while being held by the jaws, it isforced in or moves out in conformity with the contour or surface of thelens tested. The movement of the pin 0 serves to actuate the rotatingpointer D and causes it to traverse the dial B as before explained ;thusindicating the degree of curvature of the lens plus (-1-) or minus asindicated upon the dial. In the event of its being a cylinder lens, uponrotating it until the pointer D swings farthest from (0) zero the owerof the cylinder will be indicated. ow in order to determine the angle ofthe axis of the cylinder, the lens is rotated until the pointer D swingsto (0) Zero, this indicates that the three pins B B and C are in linewith the axis of the cylinder. The angle of the axis of the cylinderwith respect to an imaginary line (see o-av Fig. 8) drawn through thelong diameter of the lensmay now be readily determined by reading thegraduated scale on the circular Wall of the drum in conjunction with thefixed vertical pointer M. As previously explained, the spreading apartof the lens supporting jaws H by inserting a lens between them, actuatesthe pointer L which indicates on its graduated scale the size orarbitrary number of the lens tested. It will also be noted that bygripping the lens at four points in the manner shown the lens isautomatically centered.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In an instrument of the class described, I

initial position, and a graduated member employed in conjunction withthe swinging pointer to indicate the size or number of the lens tested.

2. In an instrument of the class described, a plurality of lens grippingarms linked together, the links, a swinging pointer actuated by themovement of said gripping arms, a spring for returning the pointer toits initial position, and a graduated drum employed in conjunction withthe swinging pointer to indicate the size or number of the lens beingtested.

In testimony whereof, I sign this specification in the presence of twowitnesses.

OLAV MOE. Witnesses I. E. DE LEE, CHAs. W. ADAMS.

